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Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake

By Lorraine

Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake is a deliciously moist cake with the wonderful flavors of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg. Topped with caramelized pears and perfect fall or Thanksgiving dessert. Looking for a fabulous dessert that folks will love?  Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake will make everyone happy! It is a deliciously moist cake topped with gooey caramelized pears. It is a perfect dessert any time but especially for fall!

 

Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We will only recommend products we use, love or think are informative and helpful.

 

Perfect fall and Thanksgiving dessert, spiced pear upside down cake is full of autumn flavors like cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Caramelized pears top with additional pears in the batter making it a moist and delicious cake.Not only are there sweet pears on top of the cake but pears are also studded throughout the batter. The combination of spices give the cake a gingerbread flavor so nice to finish a meal with or as a treat with your mid-morning coffee break.

About pears

Plan on purchasing the pears in advance of making this cake giving them time for ripening.

Whether for eating or cooking, you want to use pears that are ripe, sweet and juicy. The skin on a Bartlett pear brightens as it ripens but most varieties do not show a change in color. So how can you tell when a different variety of pear is fully ripened?

Pears are one of the few fruits that do not ripen on the tree. The pear is harvested when it is mature, but not yet ripe. It takes a little patience for them to become sweet and juicy.

Tips for ripening pears

  • Leave pears on the counter at room temperature and they will slowly ripen from the inside out.
  • Place under ripe pears near other ripening fruit like bananas, which naturally give off ethylene and will help speed up the ripening process
  • Check for ripeness every day. Apply gentle pressure to the stem end or the neck of the pear with your thumb. The pear is ripe and ready when it yields to the pressure.

Storage

  • Once the pears are fully ripe, you can store them in the refrigerator. They should stay good for up to five days.
  • To keep sliced pears looking appetizing and from browning, dip them in a bowl of equal amounts of water and lemon juice. 

Wash Before Eating

Eliminate dirt and bacteria found on the surface of the pear by washing under cold water. Use your hands or a soft produce brush to thoroughly scrub the entire exterior. Wash the pear even if you plan on peeling it. 

Now on to the recipe:

Preparing the pan for Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake

The photos in this post show the cake being made without wrapping the pan as described below. Twice now I have made the cake without the parchment and both times then butter seeped out and I had to quickly put a pan in the over to catch the drips. It is well worth the extra few minutes to prepare the pan. 

Springform pan

Many recipes, including cheesecakes, are baked in a springform pan. A springform pan is a type of baking pan that features sides that can be removed from the base. The base and the sides are separate pieces that are held together when the base is aligned with a groove that rings the bottom of the walls. 

How to keep your springform pan from leaking

 

Here are a few suggestions to prevent a messy oven situation from a leaky springform pan.

  • Place the springform cake pan on a baking sheet. This prevents the butter from pooling onto the oven bottom but you still have a messy pan to clean.
  • Place the springform pan into a slightly large can pan. A 10-inch cake pan is perfect for a 9-inch springform pan.
  • Line the inside bottom of the pan with parchment, extending the circle out past the channel where the bottom and the ring fit together, making it a tighter seal. Then wrap the exterior with foil, up the sides. 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.After lightly spraying the inside of a 9-inch springform pan, evenly arrange the thinly sliced butter pieces. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 3/4-teaspoon of cinnamon.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Sprinkle the mixture over the butter slices.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Peel and core the pears. I like the way a melon-baller makes it easy to remove the core.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Slice the pear into thin slices.

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Arrange the pear slices over the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Preparing the cake batter

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.These are the spices that give the cake its wonderful flavor. A lovely combination of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.In a bowl, whisk together the spices with the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.In a second bowl, mix 1/2 cup softened butter and brown sugar.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Add the eggs and mix just until incorporated.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Then add the applesauce and molasses. 

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Mix until combined.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Mix flour mixture into moist egg and  sugar mixture until blended. 

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Once blended, add diced pear and gently fold in with a spatula. 

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Spoon the cake mixture over layered pears in springform pan. Bake at 350° in a regular oven or at 325° in convection oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Allow to cool for 30 minutes. 

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Carefully remove from pan.

 

Easy step-by-step recipe for spiced pear upside down cake. Caramelized pears top a moist cake with wonderful spices so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving dessert.Turn the cake upside down onto a plate. Peel away the parchment paper if you used it. I like to run a long metal spatula under the bottom so the pear topping stays intact. This step isn’t necessary, just something I do.

 

Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake is a deliciously moist cake with the wonderful flavors of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg with a caramelized pear topping.And there you have it. A most delicious cake. It is pretty perfect just as it is but if you must, serve with whipped cream.

 

 

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Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake

 

INGREDIENTS

Topping:

  • 1/4 cup butter, cut into thin slices
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 ripe pears, peeled and thinly sliced

Cake:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 rounded tsp ginger
  • 1 rounded tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup molasses
  • 1/3 cup applesauce
  • 1 ripe pear, peeled & small diced

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter or use cooking spray to grease your 9-inch springform pan.

Layer the butter on the bottom of springform pan.

Sprinkle the mixture of 1 tbsp brown sugar and 3/4 tsp cinnamon over the butter.

Arrange the pear slices over the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

 

Preparing the cake batter:
In a bowl, whisk together the spices with the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.

In second bowl, mix 1/2 cup softened butter, brown sugar.

Add the eggs and mix until incorporated.

Add applesauce and molasses mixing until combined.

Mix flour mixture into moistened egg and sugar mixture until blended.

Add diced pears and gently fold in with a spatula.

Spoon cake mixture over layered pears in springform pan.

Bake at 350° in regular oven or at 325° in convection oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 30 minutes; carefully remove from pan and turn upside down onto a cake plate. Peel away the parchment if you used it.

Note: If you do not wrap the springform pan be sure to place a pan on the oven rack under the cake to catch the butter drips. I baked this recipe before it was updated and ended up having to run the exhaust fan while baking and cleaning the oven afterward.

Recipe Note:

You can substitute 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.

 

More pear recipes you might like…

Apple Pear Crisp

Old-fashioned Apple Pear Crisp with a crumbly oatmeal topping is going to be your favorite autumn dessert. Perfect blend of apple, pear, citrus, cinnamon & nutmeg. It is an easy, uncomplicated recipe and great when you need a treat to share.

 

Frosted Pear Quick BreadFrosted Pear Quick Bread with Toasted Coconut is a yummy quick bread filled with fresh pears, a hint of ginger and topped with frosting and toasted coconut.

 

Endive, Pear and Roquefort Salad

 

Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart NewsletterOur Newsletter is published once every three weeks. Each issue is timely and helpful, jam-packed with food, crafts, occasional DIY, gardening and faith resources. Relevant and seasonal posts to inspire and guide you with current trends. Available only to those who request it, so please accept our invitation to stay connected and join the Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart community. Just click the subscribe button below.

   

Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes, Recipes, Sweet Treats Tagged With: allspice, autumn, cake, cinnamon, dessert, fall, ginger, nutmeg, pears, Thanksgiving

Comments

  1. Nan NJ says

    September 26, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    Thank you for the delicious Fall recipes. You are always an inspiration!

    Reply
    • Lorraine says

      September 29, 2020 at 10:46 am

      Good morning, Nan!
      Happy to receive your comment and your kind words!  Love to hear from you if you give any of the recipes a try and tell me how they worked out for you.

      Enjoyed hearing from you!
      Kindly, Lorraine

      Reply
  2. Mary Hastings says

    August 23, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    It is so nice to see your variety of recipes that aren’t “pumpkin”. Looking forward to trying this one.

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Lorraine. Welcome to Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart. A place to find food for your tummy, projects for your hands, and encouragement for your heart.

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